Encounters and Enterprises
by purlysurly
Summary: Edward and Bella go on vacation thinking it's a bit of a lark to finally be indulging their interest in the world of ghosts. Little do they know that they will get a much more personal experience than they anticipate.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello Friends - I started this story for the Twilight Tricks and Treats contest last fall, but I missed the deadline. I planned to set it aside and finish it when the contest rolls around again. However, the story includes a little mention of one of my favorite actors, the wonderful Alan Rickman. I was saddened to learn of his death and inspired to finish this little story in his memory. Rest in peace, Mr. Rickman. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.**

 **Sincerest thanks to my beta on this, Owlsarebirdstoo.**

 **This is short: seven chapters, all pre-written, posting every few days.  
**

Chapter 1

Edward came out of a lengthy meeting with architects and engineers after reviewing the progress on the company's latest building project, which was almost complete. While he enjoyed these projects, the endless final punch lists that had to be dealt with in these last stages were tedious. He made it to his office and started logging-in to check his email when his cell phone rang. A grin spread across his face as he saw Bella's smiling picture light-up the screen and he answered the call.

"Hi, sweetheart."

"Hi, Edward. How's your day going? Did the meeting cover everything you needed?"

"Yeah, baby, it did. It was a bit tiresome going through last minute things still to be done, but we got through everything. Don't worry, we're on schedule so nothing's going to interfere with our trip," he chuckled. "I know that's really why you're calling."

"Okay, I'm busted. We've been planning this for a long time; I just don't want to have to reschedule it."

"No worries there, Bella. I'm cleared to be out of the office. _Operation Ghostbusters_ is a definite go!"

Both Bella and Edward had a fascination with ghost-lore, and they were taking some time to tour upstate New York on a ghost tour. The tour organizers guaranteed ghost sightings and they were cautiously optimistic.

"That's good because I was calling to let you know that I heard from our first choice bed and breakfast - the one where we were put on the waiting list – and they've had a cancellation. We are booked in a suite at The Erie Mansion!"

"Really? That's fantastic! We get to stay at the Erie Mansion." Edward said the last words in an exaggerated scary voice and Bella laughed.

"There's only one 'E' at the beginning of the name, dork," she teased. "It's not the Eerie Mansion," she said, mimicking his voice.

"Okay, just so you know that I'll protect you if you get spooked," he said.

"I'll hold you to that!" she replied with a laugh. "Now, get back to work so we can leave on time this weekend. No delays allowed!"

"No delays, I promise. See you at home. Love you, Bella."

"I love you too, honey. See you later."

* * *

That Saturday, Bella and Edward were on their way north from their home in New York City, heading to the Erie Mansion, so named because it was located along the Erie Canal. It was early afternoon when they arrived. The building was a stunning Victorian home situated on a large piece of land. A long driveway led from the road to the house, curving in front of the porch before ending at a carriage house and a small parking area off to the left. The property included an expansive backyard that bordered a path running along the edge of the canal.

The home itself was three full stories plus a turret tower rising another two stories above the roof. Four broad steps led to a generously proportioned porch spanning the entire front of the house and gracefully wrapping around the right side of the building. In line with Victorian tradition, it was colorfully painted; the clapboard siding was a pale yellow and the elaborate trim was a dark forest green with accent pieces repeating the yellow base. The square tower had a balcony under the window on each side with heavily embellished railings. Pointed gables rose over nearly every top floor window, crowned with pointed spires.

They exited the car and stood for a moment admiring the house.

"Wow," Bella said.

"You aren't kidding, baby," Edward replied, grasping her hand in his own and leading her up the porch steps.

Just as Edward reached for the handle of the front door, it swung open and they were met by a tall, trim woman.

"Hello, hello my dears! You must be Bella and Edward," she said as she waved them into the impressive entryway. The focal point was the stately staircase to the left. About ten stairs rose to a landing after which they changed direction and continued out of sight.

"We are so thrilled to have you. I'm Maggie. Do come right in." Maggie appeared to be in her mid-sixties with dark red hair heavily streaked with grey. Her handsome features hinted at the beauty of her youth.

"We're so glad to be here. This house is simply stunning," Bella said.

"Thank you, dear."

"Yes," Edward said, "I've been intrigued by The Erie Mansion since I first saw it online. We were very excited that you had accommodations available."

"Oh! Well, I was just as pleased to have you on the waiting list. We had a last minute cancellation and I hate to have empty rooms, so you're very welcome here indeed," Maggie replied. "Let's get you registered and then I'll show you to your room. I'm sure you're ready to stretch your legs a bit. We serve tea at 3 o'clock and I'm happy to suggest some local eateries for dinner."

Maggie ushered them in to the parlor, where there was an ornate writing desk being used as a registration table. She sat down behind the desk and motioned for Edward and Bella to sit across from her.

"If you would just fill out our registration form and I'll need to see the credit card for payment," she said, sliding the form and a pen across the table.

"Of course," Edward said, pulling out his wallet and handing her his card. While he completed the registration form, Bella looked around the room. It was a typical Victorian home: rich in elaborate wooden trim, a marble fireplace, attractive but heavy drapes on the windows, richly appointed furniture and gorgeous carpets. The high ceiling echoed what they had seen in the entryway with molding along the edges and a stunning ceiling medallion framing an ornate chandelier.

"I want to say that your home is beautiful, but that seems a wholly inadequate way to describe it," Bella remarked. "The detail is stunning. It must be quite a job to keep it maintained so meticulously."

"Oh, it keeps my husband, Peter, and I busy, no doubt about that," Maggie replied with a smile.

Edward passed the registration form back across the desk to her. "I actually work in construction and am a bit of an architectural buff," he shared. "In fact, that's one of the reasons we wanted to stay here. Well, that and the ghost tour, but I'd love to talk with you about the history of the home at some point."

"Oh! That is truly one of my favorite subjects. I do so love it when our guests take an interest in the history of our Erie Mansion. I'd be pleased to chat with you about it. So, you're in the area for the ghost tours, are you? Well, Peter is a bit of a local expert on the subject and even participates in the part of the tour that comes here. Perhaps you'd like to speak to him as well? Once I show you to your rooms, I'll be preparing for tea. Let's visit after that?"

Bella and Edward exchanged excited glances.

"Yes, we'd love to talk with Peter _,_ thank you," replied Edward.

"Now, let's see. You'll be staying in the Rose Room. And here, I'll give you each two keys. The small one is to your room and the larger one is to the front door. You do know how to use keys don't you?" she asked with an amused expression. "Some folks only know how to use those magnetized cards but we don't have those silly things in a historical building – goodness no! Now where was I? Oh yes, the house is locked at 9 pm so you'll need the house key if you are out later than that. We serve breakfast at 8 am and, as I said, we offer some refreshments for tea at 3 each afternoon. We are happy to provide you with a picnic lunch if you are planning an outing for the day, otherwise, you are on your own for lunch and dinner. Now, follow me and I'll show you to your room. I can tell you a little about the house as we walk." They rose from their seats and Maggie led them out of the parlor and back to the entryway.

"Let me just orient you a bit to the house. If you continue down the entryway, the next room to your right is the dining room. That's where you'll come for breakfast. Beyond that is the kitchen, which you're welcome to take a peek into if you would like. On the left, just past the stairs is the music room. We are fortunate enough to have a grand piano that's kept in tune. You're invited to play if you possess that particular gift. I must admit that I most certainly do not!" she laughed, but Bella looked at Edward meaningfully and he gave her small smile in return. He had years of piano lessons and loved to play, but it had been months since he had sat down at the upright piano in their apartment.

"Tea is served in the parlor where we took care of registration," Maggie continue, oblivious to Bella and Edward's silent conversation as she led them up the grand staircase.

"Now, there are three suites here on the second floor, plus the library. Here's the _Rose Room_. The next door down is the library and across the hall are the other guest suites. Both are occupied this week, though the guests are out at the moment. I expect that the Clearwaters will be back in time for tea. They're a lovely couple who take a little holiday with us every fall. The Crowleys may well be out the rest of the day. They came to visit their daughter who is attending college nearby and they've kept quite busy during their days here," she said as she opened the door to the _Rose Room_.

"Now, this is the sitting area. The bathroom is to your right and you walk through it to get to your bedroom."

Bella and Edward followed Maggie in to the room and Edward was immediately drawn to the fireplace at the left of the door.

Bella made her way slowly around the room, taking in her surroundings: the cozy seating arrangement in front of the fireplace, the two chairs and small table in front of the bay window, the classic Victorian décor and the stunning gilded-edge mirror over the fireplace. To the left of the mirror, on the wall between it and the doorway, a bell was hanging from an ornate hook.

"That's interesting," she said, moving to get a closer look. "What's the function of the bell?"

"Aha. You've spotted one of the most unique aspects of the Erie Mansion," Maggie replied with a smile. "Are you familiar with servant call-bell systems?"

"A bit," Edward answered. "Bell pulls were installed in the rooms of the house and connected to bells located in the servants' area. Based on which bell was rung, servants would know where their services were needed."

"Right you are!" Maggie said, pleased that he was familiar with the system.

"Wait," Bella interjected. "Do you mean like in the movie _Sense and Sensibility_ when Kate Winslet was visiting London and kept calling the servant at all hours to send messages to Willoughby?"

Edward put his arm around Bella's shoulders and kissed her temple. "Exactly, babe. Maggie, put anything in the context of a literary classic – in either written or movie form – and Bella will recognize it immediately," he chuckled.

"Oh, a fellow bibliophile! I love the classics as well, Bella. Ms. Austen did us all such a favor having Marianne not fall prey to that horrible Willoughby and instead ending up with the dashing Colonel Branden," Maggie gushed. "I had a bit of a crush on Alan Rickman," she continued in a confidential tone. "He will live forever in my mind's-eye as the lovely Colonel!"

Bella and Edward chuckled at her confession.

"Any-who, back to the bell system. It's quite ingenious, if I do say so myself. The system has been obsolete for over 100 years now. While lodging locations typically have phones in every room, we didn't feel that was feasible or very authentic. Back in the 1980s, Peter and I decided to reverse the system, providing us a way to communicate with guests more easily. Your bell will ring once at breakfast and once at tea time. If it rings twice it means that we have a message for you at the registration desk. I admit, those occasions are rare these days since most people have cellular phones and don't use the main phone here in the house, but that is how it works in any case," she finished with a satisfied smile on her face.

"That is ingenious!" Edward remarked as Bella nodded in agreement.

"Thank you. Now, I must go prepare for tea. I'll find you there so we can talk more about the Mansion, yes?"

"Yes, thank you." Bella answered. Maggie smiled and gave a slight nod before leaving and closing the door behind her with a soft click.

 **A/N: Thanks for reading. Drop me a line and let me know what you think. See you in a few days!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I decided to indulge my inner Hobbit today. See, it's my birthday and I wanted to give you a gift by posting the next chapter. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

"Edward, this place is amazing," Bella said.

Edward stepped to her and wrapped her in an embrace. "I know. And to think that Maggie's husband can tell us more about the ghost tales here – BO-NUS," he said in a sing-song voice, making her giggle. "I'll bring our bags up and we'll have a few minutes to settle-in before tea." He gave Bella a soft, slow kiss before leaving the room.

When he returned, he put their toiletries in the bathroom while Bella put their clothes in the dresser. They were sitting at the bay window discussing the local points of interest when the bell by their door rang.

"That'll be tea then," Bella said with a smile.

"You like that bell, don't you Bella?" Edward asked with a sly grin.

"I do! I think it's clever, and quaint, and -"

"And lets you pretend you're in a Jane Austen story," Edward interjected.

She rose from her chair and lightly punched his arm. "Shush you! You get to be an amateur architect slash engineer nerd without ridicule, so I get to be a literary nerd without ridicule!"

"You ridicule me a little," he joked.

"I don't ridicule, I tease. And you love it!" she said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Hmm, you're right, I do. Come on, Marianne, let's go have tea."

They went down to the parlor and found Maggie and a gentleman putting out the last refreshments for tea. The large round table in the middle of the parlor was full of a variety of finger sandwiches, scones, small cakes, pastries, jams and clotted cream. There were teapots ready to steep any of a generous variety of loose-leaf teas, as well as a small carafe of coffee.

"Ah, there they are Peter, the couple I was telling you about," said Maggie as she saw them enter the room. "Bella, Edward, please come and meet my husband, Peter."

Edward stepped forward, extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter."

"And you as well," Peter replied, shaking Edward's hand. "I hope you're settling in comfortably."

"Yes, we are, thank you. This is my wife, Bella," he said, placing his hand on the small of Bella's back.

"Hello, Peter," Bella said as they shook hands. "Maggie has made us feel quite at home in just the short time we've been here."

Just then another couple entered the parlor.

"Good afternoon, Sue, Harry," Maggie said shooting a smile at the couple as they came in. "I was hoping you would be coming down for tea. Did you enjoy your visit to town today?"

"We did," Sue replied. "Everyone is getting ready for the harvest festival this weekend and signs are going up for the ghost tours."

"Oh, we are here for the ghost tours and are so excited!" Bella said. "I'm sorry, I'm Bella and this is my husband, Edward," she said, extending her hand toward Sue.

"How very nice to meet you," Sue said, returning her handshake. "This is my husband, Harry."

After the introductions were complete, the group's attention turned to the food.

"Goodness, Maggie, you've outdone yourself today," remarked Sue.

"Maggie, surely this isn't all just for the four of us is it? How many people are staying here right now?" Edward asked.

"Well, I told you about the Crowleys, also staying on your floor," Maggie said. "Then on the third floor there are four single rooms that we rent and they share the two bathrooms that are on that floor. They are the former servants' quarters. Currently, three of the rooms are occupied by some lovely young ladies; Tanya, Irina and Kate. I expect that they will make it down for tea." Just then footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. "I'm sure that's them now."

Just as she finished speaking, the girls entered the room laughing and joking among themselves. They appeared to be in their early twenties and were beautiful. Of varying heights, they each had a different shade of long blond hair and stunning figures. The first one caught sight of Edward as soon as she took a few steps in the room and stopped in her tracks, nearly causing a pileup in her wake.

"Hello there. I'm Tanya," she said to Edward as she sashayed over to him, stopping far too close for polite company. Her gaze slowly meandered from his chest to his feet, then back up to his face. When she met his eyes, she smiled a coy, flirtatious smile. "Aren't you a tall, handsome drink of water… and I'm parched," she said.

"Hello, Tanya," Edward replied as he leaned to his right, reaching his outstretched arm toward Bella who was standing near the refreshment table. She smiled and confidently walked to Edward's side, wrapping her arms around his waist as his arm came to rest around her shoulders. "This is my _wife_ , Bella. Bella, this is Tanya."

"Pleased to meet you, Tanya," Bella said with excessive politeness.

"Mmm, charmed I'm sure," Tanya replied through pursed lips. Then she looked back to Edward. "Meeting you, handsome, _was_ a pleasure. Hope to see you around," she said before walking toward the refreshments. Bella and Edward were left looking a bit dumbfounded but, before they could process that interaction, the other two girls were speaking to them.

"Don't mind her," said the taller of the girls. "She doesn't understand personal space…"

"Or relationship boundaries," the other one interjected.

"Or polite social niceties in general…" the first one trailed off.

"Sounds like a really great friend," Bella replied sardonically.

"Well, she's not awful all the time. But, I am sorry she was so rude. I'm Kate," the tall one introduced herself.

"Hi, Kate. I'm Bella. Nice to meet you," she said, shaking Kate's hand. "This is my husband, Edward."

"Hello, Edward. I can't believe she said that to you! I'm so sorry," Kate said.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Kate. I'm glad to meet you," Edward replied.

"This is my friend, Irina," Kate said. "Irina, this is Bella and Edward."

"Hi. Tanya just needs to get laid," Irina said bluntly. "But, just because she's got an itch doesn't mean she can be rude to any hottie who crosses her path. Sorry," she said, directing her remark to Bella. "No offense intended but your hubby is _very handsome!"_

"No offense taken," Bella said with a chuckle. "I happen to agree that he's a hottie. I also agree that it is not cool to hit on a married man."

"Well, like I said, she has no boundaries," Kate replied. "But I'll try to keep her in line. We don't want to put a damper on your stay here."

"Thanks, that would be appreciated," said Bella.

"We'll let you enjoy your tea," Kate said as she and Irina went to get refreshments and join Tanya.

"Bella, Edward, we've got everything set up here," Maggie said. "Go ahead and fill your plates. I'll grab a pot of tea and we'll go sit in the music room where we can chat more."

They did as she suggested and followed her down the hallway to the music room. The room was lovely, just like the rest of the house. In the center of the far wall, three large bay windows created a curving alcove where a grand piano was the focal point of the room. The wall opposite the bay windows accommodated a tile-faced fireplace with a large mirror hung above it. The room was appointed with several chairs and small tables with lamps. The wall at the far end of the room held a huge mirror, at least 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Two small sofas were comfortably arranged facing each other in the space between the piano and the fireplace with a low table between them.

Edward was immediately drawn to the grand piano, letting out a low whistle as he ran his fingers lightly across the keys. The piano frame was rosewood and it had been polished to a luxurious shine. The legs were beautifully carved with swirling décor that carried up to the frame of the piano. The music stand was also intricately carved from matching redwood.

"This is a lovely piano, Maggie. Do you know how old it is?" he asked.

"It's not original to the home. However, it was purchased new in 1889 for one thousand dollars! We found the original bill-of-sale if you can believe it. It's known as an "Elephant Leg" piano because of the heavily carved legs. Supposedly, they resemble decorated circus elephants when you look at them sideways, but I've never quite been able to make that out," Maggie said, tilting her head and squinting at the piano legs as though she were trying, yet again, to see something that wasn't there.

"The original bill-of-sale? That's pretty amazing," Bella remarked.

"Oh true! Peter found a veritable treasure trove of old documents in a cabinet hidden in the wall of the library when he was doing some maintenance work many years ago," Maggie said.

"This house is so rich in history, Maggie," Bella said. "You and Peter must really love it."

"My ears are burning, so I'm guessing your gossiping about me!" a smiling Peter said as he entered the room.

Bella and Edward chuckled as Peter went to Maggie and gave her a kiss on the temple. "You're an incorrigible old coot," Maggie said. "Let's sit down and tell Edward and Bella about the history of the Mansion. They also want to hear about ghosts," she said, leading them all to take a seat on the sofas by the fireplace.

"Excellent!" Peter said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, as he sat next to his wife.

"So, the house was built by a distant ancestor of mine, Jacob Black and his wife Leah," Maggie began. "Construction started in 1832 and was completed the following year."

"Did he come from money?" Edward asked. "Clearly this was not your standard home of the era."

"Well, he settled in the area in the early 1820's," Maggie said. "He was a modest farmer with the good fortune to own a great deal of land. However, as you can imagine, there were tremendous challenges in farming and a huge amount of work involved in making the fields ready for crops, then planting, tending and harvesting them, so much of the land was left idle. Also, the market for agricultural goods was generally rather limited to how far it could be transported by wagon in just a day or two. All of that changed when the Erie Canal opened in 1825. Suddenly, there was an efficient and cost-effective way to move goods all the way from New York City and the Hudson River across the state and on to the Great Lakes. Jacob saw this opportunity and had the foresight to make the most of it.

"First, he cleared much of the timber from his land. The canal made it possible to transport bulky agricultural goods across the state reliably and at downright cheap prices – just ten percent of overland transport costs, sometimes less. Imagine the opportunity! He was selling wood as fast as he could cut it and sending it down the canal to Albany, quite the lumber hub of the day, with hardly any transport costs. His profit was tremendous and he handled his money well.

"During this time, he met and married his wife, Leah. She helped him run the business, especially as he branched out. As he continued to clear land and make a profit, they were able to hire more help to get the cleared land suitable for planting. Once that was done, they planted mostly wheat. Again, the lumber money allowed them to invest in the latest agricultural inventions of the day. I won't bore you with the details of farming innovations unless you're interested in that sort of thing. But, he was able to buy and utilize things such as the new machines for reaping and threshing grains, which made harvesting vastly more efficient. He harvested a huge volume of wheat year after year and sent it up the canal – at cheap shipping rates again - to Rochester for milling."

"The bottom line is that he used ingenuity, opportunity, and good-old-fashioned hard work to make his way in the world," Peter added. "And he was damn good at it! He made a tidy fortune in lumber and wheat that he was able to pass on to the family."

"So, how did it come to you? When did it start operating as a B&B?" Bella asked.

"Ah, Leah was actually my great-great-great-great aunt. Her brother, Seth, was my great-great-great-grandfather. Jacob died in 1860. While he and Leah had two sons, neither of them made it through the Civil War. Their eldest child, Emily, was married to Sam Uley. They had no children of their own, which is why ownership of the house went to Seth's family after they died.

"The use of the house as public accommodations is a bit of a twisty tale. After Jacob died, Leah and her children were able to continue the family business, but weren't successful at growing it. In order to avoid dipping too deeply into the cash reserves that Jacob had left to them, Leah looked at other opportunities. As there was quite a migration of people heading west, she decided to open her home to more well-to-do travelers."

As Maggie was telling this part of the story, Bella looked quickly over her shoulder to glance behind herself and then turned forward again. Her eyes were bright with excitement as she stared at the large mirror at the end of the room.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.

"Yes. I just could have sworn that I saw something move in the mirror," she answered.

"Oh, I bet our ghost is making herself known. It's been awhile," Peter commented calmly.

"Really? You have a ghost here?" Edward asked excitedly.

"Well, Peter certainly thinks so," answered Maggie. "We think it ties into Leah's time of hosting travelers. You see, Leah did well accommodating guests for about five years until a guest – a young woman – died while staying here…"

"Hence, our ghost," Peter interrupted.

"Apparently," Maggie said, throwing a meaningful look toward Peter, "There was some sort of altercation with another traveler and…"

Suddenly the lid to the piano keys slammed closed, making all of them jump and turn toward the noise.

 **A/N: I totally want to say 'dun, dun, dunnn' right now! Check out my facebook page for pictures of the house that inspired my vision of the Erie Mansion, and also the 'elephant leg' piano. Drop me a note to let me know what you think. See you in a few days!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, I forgot two very important things. First, thank you to the lovely Owlsarebirdstoo for flawlessly executing beta duties on this puppy (just like every chapter before and every one to come). You're awesome.**

 **Second, I forgot the disclaimer!**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 3

Bella let out a small squeak of surprise and grabbed for Edward's free hand while he reflexively tightened his hold around her shoulder. Maggie was also startled, jumping slightly in her seat, but Peter seemed barely effected. He calmly stood up and walked toward the piano.

"Well, what do you know," he said. "I'd say our ghost wants to make her presence known. Can't say I've observed her get quite this feisty before."

By now the others had recovered from their momentary start and joined him by the piano.

"She doesn't mean any harm," he explained.

"Have you had experiences before where you believe you've interacted with this ghost?" Edward asked Peter with interest.

"I believe so. Nothing as concrete as this," he replied. "But, seeing things out of the corner of my eye, little things being moved from where I left them, that sort of thing, yes. And whenever it happens I experience a sense of playfulness, like someone's teasing me or perhaps laughing at me good-naturedly. Whoever our ghost is, she absolutely does not have bad intentions."

"Maggie, do you believe in ghosts?" Bella asked.

"Well, I'm not sure. I do believe that all of our souls go somewhere after we die. I don't think we die and go poof into nothingness. While it's not for me to say where souls do go, I certainly don't think they hang about with nothing better to do than to bother those of us still here! Peter has a firm belief that some souls do stay about for one reason or another. He keeps busy studying about spirits and such, which makes him happy. We don't argue the point."

"You seem pretty certain that the ghost is a female," Edward said to Peter. "Do you think she is the young lady that died here?"

"Well, I'm sure it's a woman. That's just a feeling I get that I'm positive about. It's the sort of energy I feel when I have an encounter. Whether or not it is that poor young lady, I can surmise but I don't know for sure. But I'm sure our ghost is a woman."

His final remark was followed by the ringing of the bell that hung by the door, just like in Bella and Edward's suite.

"That's odd, no one should be in the bell closet," Maggie said, referring to the area where all the bell pulls were located.

"No one is in there," Peter replied. "I locked it after I rang the rooms for tea. That's proof enough for me that the ghost is a woman. She's listening in on our conversation and providing confirmation!"

"Right, well, enough of that," Maggie continued. "There's just a bit left in the story of how the Mansion came to be what it is today. Naturally, Leah felt terrible about the young woman dying in her home. As I started to say, the death was apparently due to some altercation with another traveler who was staying here. Consequently, she stopped hosting travelers. From what we can tell, she lived here quite happily with Emily and Sam. Since Emily and Sam had no children, the property eventually went to my great-great-great-grandfather, Jared, who was Seth's son.

"For several generations, folks just lived in the house and did their best to maintain it, doing upgrades as innovations came along such as electricity and plumbing. While they all had their own livelihoods, much of the property maintenance costs were covered by the inheritance Jacob left, which Emily and Sam managed very conservatively. My mother and father moved in here in 1951 and this is where I grew up. When Peter and I married, we decided to try to make a go of it as a B&B. We spent most of what was left of the family money to standardize the infrastructure, make upgrades to the house and invest in some much needed improvements such as a new roof. We also renovated the carriage house, which is where we now live," she finished with a smile.

"Wow, you have an incredibly rich history to go with your beautiful home," Bella said.

"Yes, thank you for taking the time to share it with us," Edward added.

"It's our pleasure. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask," Maggie said.

"And come find me if you want to kick around ghost theories," Peter said with a wink.

"We'll do that. Right now I think we'll head to town to explore a bit before having some dinner. We'll be making an early night of it since we were on the road for quite a while today," Edward replied.

"See you later," Bella said with a small wave as they left the room.

* * *

Good to their word, Edward and Bella did go walking through the local village, which was lovely and quaint. They window-shopped and enjoyed dinner at a quiet little restaurant. They made it back to the Mansion before the house was locked for the night and went to bed early.

The next morning, Bella woke early and curled up in a chair by the bay window to enjoy the view. She was still sitting there when Edward awoke awhile later.

"Hey, baby, what are you doing?" he asked sleepily.

"Just enjoying the view and thinking about the history of this place. It's really fantastic that they know so much about it."

"It is. I suppose that's because it's always been in the family." He rubbed his hands over his eyes and then lazily stretched his arms over his head.

"Do you think there's really a ghost here?"

"Well, I believe in ghosts in general, and we're here to have an encounter. I don't see any reason not to have an open mind about it. Say, we better get moving if we're going to be ready when the breakfast bell rings," he wiggled his eyebrows comically.

"Okay, Colonel Brandon. I call dibs on the shower first. I'll be out in ten."

"If you're not I may have to join you," he said, reaching to slap her backside as she walked by the bed.

"Who says you have to wait?" she replied, laughing as she dropped her robe and darted into the bathroom. In his haste to get out of bed, Edward's legs got tangled in the sheets and he fell with a graceless thud onto the rug.

"You're an evil temptress, Mrs. Cullen," he called out.

Shower shenanigans aside, they managed to be dressed and, relatively, presentable when the breakfast bell rang, not quite an hour later.

They made their way downstairs, meeting Harry and Sue Clearwater at the bottom of the stairs.

"Good morning Bella, Edward. How was your first night at the Erie Mansion?" Sue asked.

"Wonderful," Bella replied.

"Did you go in to town yesterday?" Harry asked Edward.

"We did, just to walk around and have some dinner." He replied.

"Excellent. Do you have plans for today? I ask because the weather is supposed to be quite fine, and Sue and I have a favorite hiking trail along the east edge of the property. I highly recommend it if you're looking for an outdoor activity today," Harry explained.

"Thank you for the suggestion, Harry. We haven't decided what we're doing today but I think that may go straight to the top of our list," Edward replied as they entered the dining room.

They greeted Maggie and Peter, who were busy putting out a lavish array of breakfast foods, and sat down to enjoy their meal. The Crowleys came down presently and they were able to learn about their daughter, Lauren, who was studying interior design and had just started her senior year at college. They were a pleasant couple who shared lots of amusing stories about their many travels. Just as Bella and Edward were finishing breakfast, Tanya, Kate and Irina entered the dining room.

Kate and Irina politely greeted everyone and took two of the three available seats at the far end of the table, beside the Crowleys. Tanya, whose eyes lit up when she saw Edward at the table, made a beeline for the single empty chair that was situated at the head of the table between Edward and Sue. While bending to sit down, she made sure to lean far forward in order to show off her cleavage.

"Well, I have to say that you look luscious in the morning, handsome," she purred to Edward.

"For heaven's sake, Tanya, give it a break," Kate snapped at her. "You are just making a fool of yourself and embarrassing us. Act your age!"

Tanya looked quite taken aback by Kate's outburst, and sat staring daggers at her friend.

"We are actually just on our way out," Edward said as he stood and moved to help Bella out of her seat. "I hope that everyone enjoys this beautiful day," he said as he ushered Bella out of the room. They made it to the staircase before Bella burst out laughing.

"Did you see…her… her… her expression?" she asked through her laughter. "Oh, I thought Tanya was going to burst a blood vessel!"

"Her face was red enough, maybe she did," Edward replied with a laugh of his own.

When they got to their room, they discussed their options for the day and freshened up a bit.

"Let's go downstairs to decide. I'm sure Maggie and Peter can point us in a good direction." Bella suggested.

Just then, Edward's phone chimed with an incoming text message. His employees were good about not bothering him needlessly while he was on vacation, but they would be in touch if there was anything urgent.

"Mike's got one question on the job that can't wait," he said, glancing up from his phone. "Let me call him and get it over with. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay. Don't make me come back up to get you," Bella threatened.

"Thirty minutes tops, I promise." Edward gave her a quick kiss and Bella headed downstairs, leaving him to make his call.

Not quite half-an-hour later, just as Edward completed his call, the bell in the suite rang two times.

"Hmmm, two rings is for a message," Edward mused. "I wonder what that's about." Grabbing his wallet and keys, he exited their suite, locking the door behind him and going downstairs. He found Maggie just inside the parlor.

"Hello, Maggie. The bell in our room just rang for a message?" he asked.

"Ah, yes," she said, sending him a coy smile. "Right over here." She went to the registration desk and found the mail slot for the Rose Room, pulling out an ivory envelope and handing it to him. "There you go."

Edward smiled at here as he took the envelope. "Thanks, Maggie. I appreciate it."

"Oh, no bother at all. Enjoy your day," she said, throwing him a wink before turning around and exiting the parlor.

Edward chuckled at her antics as he examined the envelope. Nothing was written on the outside, so he opened it and pulled out the card. He recognized Bella's handwriting immediately and read:

" _My Dearest Colonel Brandon,"_ it began, but that was crossed out and she had started again on the next line.

" _My Handsome Mr. Darcy"_ was also crossed out and another line was written beneath it.

" _My Sexy Scottsman Jamie"_ was crossed out as well with another line following it.

" _My Forever Love Edward,_

" _You outstrip all the men of literature, be they ruffians or heroes, and I can't believe you are mine. You are Colonel Brandon, Mr. Darcy, Jamie Fraser and Batman (said in the deep raspy voice) all rolled into one._

" _You are my biggest supporter and encourager. You've always got my back. You hold my heart with respect and tenderness. You're not afraid of my tears or my temper. You fight fairly. You love fiercely. And you are always, always kind._

" _I am the luckiest girl in the world to have you._

" _I love you so much and wanted to do something special for you. So, I planned our day for us (Surprise!). Meet me on the porch …_

" _Love, Bella"_

After reading the note, Edward took a deep breath to rein in his emotions and walked to the front door. Opening it, he found Bella standing at the railing facing him. When she saw him, a wide smile spread across her face. He was next to her in three long strides, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Baby, you're the most amazing person in the world. I love you so much," he said.

He lifted his head and looked into her in the eyes. "Your note was beautiful. I may have gotten a little _verklempt_ ," he confessed.

"Oh good. I was definitely going for _verklempt_ ," she teased back.

He gave her a slow, deep kiss before pulling away and resting his forehead against hers. "So, what are our plans for the day, Madame Tour Guide?"

She smiled a giddy smile. "At breakfast, Sue was telling me about this great hiking trail that she and Harry love, so I thought we could go exploring. I asked Maggie to pack us a picnic lunch," she said, pointing to the picnic basket near one of the chairs.

Edward laughed lightly. "Well, that must be an awesome trail because Harry was telling _me_ about it this morning. Thank you for arranging the picnic, baby. Lead the way," he grabbed the picnic basket and they walked down the porch steps.

"The trail starts in the woods behind the carriage house," Bella explained as they walked hand-in-hand. "Maggie said it's open to the public so we may see others hiking, especially as we get beyond the first hill, since that is close to a trail that comes up from town."

"Okay. Well, I am ready to commune with nature."

Bella snorted. "Sure you are, Mowgli."

"Mowgli? What happened to Darcy or Brandon?"

Bella just laughed and tugged him forward.

"Come on, I want to be _Batman_ " he pleaded, saying the name in his raspy voice.

Bella dropped his hand and kept walking without giving him a reply.

"How about Jamie?" he said in a very poor Scottish accent. "I'll call you _Sassenach_ ," he called out as she walked ahead.

He jogged a few steps to catch up with her and they talked and teased one another as they hiked. They stopped several times to admire the view of the countryside and the beautiful autumn colors, seeing a couple of groups of hikers on their way.

Just before noon, they found a lovely clearing surrounded by trees, shielding them from the light wind that had kicked up. The sun was shining brightly, offering them plenty of warmth. They sat on the blanket Maggie had packed in the basket and enjoyed a delicious lunch with some cold cider. Afterward, they lay back on the blanket and spotted shapes in the clouds passing by.

"I guess we should start back," Edward said eventually.

"Mmmm," Bella hummed in agreement. "I suppose so. It's so beautiful here though, it's hard to leave."

"Come on, Marianne. If we don't get moving, you'll miss hearing our bell ring for tea," Edward teased as he started packing up the remnants of their picnic. "Besides, I was hoping to find Peter this afternoon and ask him about some of his ghost research."

"Oh, that's a great idea. What are you waiting for, Lazy Boy?" Bella said, jumping up and heading out of the clearing.

"Wait! We're not packed up yet," Edward hollered after her.

She stopped short and turned around smiling. "Gotcha! Of course I'm not leaving without you. Tanya probably tailed us and is waiting for her chance to get you alone," she said with wide eyes.

"Ew!" Edward said, accompanied by a full-body shiver. "I think someone could catch something from her just by standing too close. You'll protect me from her, right baby?"

"Damn straight, Edward. You're _my_ hottie!" She laughed and helped him fold the blanket before they headed back toward the trail hand-in-hand.

When they were about halfway back to the Mansion, Edward suddenly stopped.

"Hold on a sec, baby," he said as he set down the picnic basket and darted toward a nearby tree. He jumped up, grabbing the nearest branch, and proceeded to pull himself up onto the limb.

"What on earth are you doing?" Bella laughed.

"This is a perfect climbing tree. I haven't climbed in years, but look at these branches. They're perfectly placed," he explained as he found footholds and quickly, lithely climbed up three more branches.

"You realize you're not _actually_ Batman, right?" she called up to him. "If you slip you don't have fancy- schmancy gadgets to get you down safely. You'll go splat. After going thump on each branch you hit as you fall."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," he said as he continued to climb higher.

Just then, Bella heard voices of other hikers coming up the trail. "Come on, Edward, come down before the other hikers see you. You're far too high," she called with concern. Edward merely laughed and glanced down the trail toward the hikers. Then he looked at Bella with a mischievous smile.

"What ARE you doing?" she asked.

Before he could reply, a couple came around the bend in the trail and slowed when they saw Bella.

"Hello," the woman said warmly.

"Hi," Bella replied, still looking up at Edward. The two hikers turned their gazes up the tree to see what she was so intently studying. Just as they spotted Edward in the tree, he raised his arm, holding out a bright red leaf.

"Is _this_ the leaf you wanted, Bella?" he called down.

The hikers looked rather taken aback when they turned to face Bella.

"What? Why would you? I didn't…" she sputtered. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the hikers. "I did NOT ask him to climb that tree in order to PICK ME A PARTICULAR LEAF!" she said, yelling the last words up toward Edward.

His laughter rang out through the branches as he started climbing down the tree.

"I'm sorry. He just thinks he's funny," she said to the couple.

"Actually," the man said, "That was pretty funny."

"Very funny," the woman agreed, fighting back a giggle. "He's a keeper I'd say. You folks enjoy your day," she said as they continued down the trail.

"You too," Edward called after them as he lowered himself down from the lowest branch.

Bella stood staring at him, slowly shaking her head from side to side.

"For my forever love," Edward said softly, holding the leaf out to her.

A slow smile spread across her face as Bella reached out and took the leaf.

"So much better than Batman," she said, pulling him in for a kiss.

 **A/N: _Verklempt_ is a Yiddish word that means "overcome with emotion." If you want a good laugh (and if you want to know why it fits so well in Edward's comment in this chapter), go to Youtube and look up Mike Myer's "Coffee Talk" skits from SNL. Then "talk amongst yourselves..."**

 **Kind of a filler chapter, but the next one will be up soon. Let me know what you're thinking.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 4

The rest of their hike was uneventful and they returned to the Mansion happy and relaxed. They visited with the Clearwaters, thanking them for recommending the hiking trail before finding Peter who was fixing a faucet in the kitchen.

"Hey folks," he greeted them. "How was the hike and picnic?"

"Great," Edward replied. "We hiked to a meadow where we had lunch. It was delicious by the way," he said, setting the picnic basket on the counter.

"Thank you. Maggie will be pleased that you enjoyed it."

"Peter, could we talk with you about some of your ghost research? We'd love to hear what you've discovered," Edward said.

Peter's eyes lit up with delight and he rubbed his hands together as a giant smile spread across his face.

"Oh-ho! A chance to escape the tedium of my indentured servitude and discuss my favorite topic? You bet," he joked. "Let's go upstairs to the library; many of my resources are up there." He led them out of the kitchen and toward the stairs.

"Have you had a chance to explore the library yet?" he asked as they walked.

"Not yet, but I've certainly been looking forward to it," Bella said.

"I'm sure that once she gets in there, we'll have a difficult time getting her out to do anything else," Edward said. "Libraries are her favorite places to be."

"It's true. I admit it without remorse," Bella laughed. "I love everything about them: their quietness, their smell, the endless adventures they offer through their books. What's not to love?"

"I think my Maggie would agree with you," Peter replied. "When she has free time, she does enjoy slipping into a comfortable chair with her current book. She always has her nose in one of those big, hard cover classics, but don't be fooled, that's just a ruse," he said in a conspiratorial whisper. "I think she's actually hiding torrid romance novels inside."

Bella snorted out a laugh. "You mean Maggie likes a good 'bodice-ripper'? Nothing wrong with that! I'm liking Maggie more and more!"

Peter smiled and winked at her as they reached the library. "Here we are," he said, opening the door and inviting them to enter in before him.

After crossing the threshold, Bella looked around in awe. There were built-in bookshelves on every wall. The library was above the music room and it had a similar alcove created by three bay windows across from the doorway. Comfortable chairs and some small tables were placed there in a cozy seating arrangement. There was a tile-faced fireplace to the right of the door with another impressive mirror above it. A sofa and chairs were in front of the fireplace. A large antique desk was in the corner. Nearly all the shelves were filled with books.

"Oh my, this is lovely," Bella said in a library whisper.

"Yes, I like to do research in here. Maggie's book club meets in here every month or so as well," Peter commented. "Now, take a seat and I'll just grab a few things from my desk."

Bella and Edward got comfortable in the chairs by the window and Peter joined them with an armful of books, journals and even manila folders with papers sticking out haphazardly. Setting the documents and books on the table in front of them, Peter took a seat facing them.

"So, tell me, have you done much research on your own? Or, what is it that you'd like to talk about?" he asked.

"Well, we haven't really researched ghosts," Edward replied. "We are intrigued by the idea of them but this trip and the planned ghost tour is the first time we've ever actually done anything overt regarding our interest."

"Ah, well. That's fine, then." Peter said as he started organizing the papers into piles. "I don't spend much time worrying about the scientific research that's been done over the years. I don't need someone else to prove to me whether or not spirits are real. But, I have researched a lot of older documents that discuss people's experiences and even what you might consider old wives tales about how to deal with various spirit encounters."

"Where did you find your information?" Bella asked.

"My grandfather was part American Indian, descended from the Seneca Tribe, part of the Iroquois Nation. He was careful to teach me as much as he could about their way of life; that was his effort to ensure that the culture lived on, I suppose. You probably know that Native Americans have a strong belief in spirits. Their religion has several spirit deities. They also believed in good and evil spirits that could influence the living. Evil spirits were thought to be the cause of illness and misfortune. Certain ceremonies were conducted to drive out bad spirits. I was always fascinated by his stories and I think they opened my mind to the possibility of the supernatural."

"That would make sense," Edward said.

"When I was in college, I believe I had a bona-fide ghost encounter and that is what really got me researching various beliefs and practices about ghosts. I've gone on a few "ghost-hunting" outings - though I think that name itself is disrespectful. I'm still not sure why there are spirits that interact with our world. I do believe the vast majority of souls move on to, well, to wherever they go. But that doesn't mean there isn't a huge amount of theories and ideas about them. When they got the idea to do ghost tours around here, some folks knew of my interests and asked for my input. I wasn't really interested in being part of anything that was just trying to trick people, but if they were on the up-and-up about it, I'd let them have a tour stop here at Erie Mansion. We all agreed that the name itself makes it a good addition to the tour, and I'm always happy to share some of the things I've come to believe."

Peter paused to take a drink from the water bottle he'd brought with him.

"So each year, every day for a week or so leading up to Halloween, the tours are held and the groups stop here for a bit. One thing that has been most popular with them is when I do the ceremony to create a spirit vessel," he concluded.

"Spirit vessel? What's that?" asked Bella.

"I might say it's a bunch of bunk," chuckled Peter. "I've no proof it's anything of consequence. But the idea is that you can make a container into a type of spirit prison. If a spirit is placed inside it - don't ask me how that happens because I don't have a clue - but if it is, it can't get out unless the lid is removed. Kind of interesting in that is doesn't have to be a solid container, it can have holes it in and whatnot, but it still acts as a prison as long as the lid, or latch is closed.

"I make it very clear when I do the ceremony that I have no proof if it actually works or not, but the ceremony itself is interesting and involves some 'audience participation' so it's popular with the tour groups and I do it each year. Did you notice the pumpkins on the porch? Maggie's nephews carve those for us each year. I'll take one of them and do the ceremony around it."

"We're signed up for the ghost tour two nights from now, so we'll see you do the ceremony then?" Bella asked.

"You sure will. I'll even pick you to help with it if you'd like."

Bella's eyes lit up and a huge smile spread across her face. "Yes, please!" she said, excitedly. "I'd really love that."

"So, you do believe that there is a ghost – or spirit – here at the Erie Mansion?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I do. I think it's most likely that poor young lady who died here. There is no record of anyone else coming to any sort of harm here and the records we've found have been so complete, I'd be surprised if something like that was left out, given we do have so many details about her story. It just seems unlikely that something untoward happened to someone else, so I would bet that it's her. While I don't know why some spirits stay here with us, it seems that someone dying under circumstances like hers would have more unfinished business than others."

"That would make sense," mused Edward.

"Peter, thank you so much for giving us some of your time today. We really appreciate it. Unfortunately, we need to get moving. We have reservations in town for dinner and I know I need some time to freshen up before we go out," Bella said.

"It was my pleasure, Bella. I'm happy to chat whenever you'd like," Peter replied. "You two enjoy the rest of your day."

"We will. Thank you again," Edward said as he and Bella stood and exited the library, leaving Peter straightening up his papers and books.

* * *

After a brief nap and a change of clothes, Edward and Bella went in to town. They explored some more of the shops before enjoying an excellent leisurely dinner at a local restaurant. As they left the shopping area, they stopped and bought a bottle of wine to take back to their room.

Once back at the Mansion, Edward told Bella he needed to check his email.

"I promise not to be too long. Mike was going to send me a follow-up from our call today. I just need to make sure everything worked out."

She smiled at him. "That's fine, Edward. I've been surprised at how little you've been distracted by work since we've been away. I think this trip has been really good for you," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest.

He put his arms around her, giving her a warm hug.

"I think it has been, too. I'm really glad we got away. Say, why don't you check out the library while I jump online? I know our brief visit there this afternoon was not enough to give you a 'fix'," he said, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I won't be long."

"That's a great idea. I think I will. Come find me when you're done," she said, giving him a final squeeze before heading for the door.

"I'll always find you, Bella."

After she left, Edward pulled his laptop from its case and set it on the table by the fireplace. He had to search for a minute to find a nearby electrical outlet, but after he had it plugged in, the computer booted up quickly.

He was just logging-in to his email when Bella came back into the room, looking distraught. Edward rose, quickly crossing the room and reaching out for her hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern as she grabbed his hand and held it tight.

"Um, yeah. Yes," she said with a bit more conviction. "I'm fine, just a bit unsettled I guess."

"Why? What happened?"

"Nothing happened, per se. I went to the library and was browsing among the books when I started to feel very… unsettled. Then, I don't know, it changed and I realized I was beginning to feel scared, maybe a bit… trapped?" she was struggling to find the right words to properly describe her experience. "At any rate, I knew I didn't want to stay there; that I needed to leave. So I did."

"But you don't know why you felt that way?"

"No. No idea."

"That's so odd. You always love libraries. Did you feel strange at all this afternoon when we were there with Peter?"

"No, not at all. I had the same feeling then that I always have in libraries – they feel like home to me. Well, until this one here tonight."

Edward hugged her. "You're okay, baby. There's nothing here that can hurt you."

She stepped back and smiled at him. "I know. I'm okay now. Really. I think I'll take that wine and go ask Maggie for a corkscrew and a couple of glasses. Meet me on the porch when you're done?"

"You're sure you're okay?"

"Perfectly fine. Absolutely."

"Okay. I'll join you soon."

Bella pulled the wine from its bag and left to find Maggie as Edward sat back down at his computer. Not long after she had left, the bell in the suite rang two times.

"That girl," Edward said to himself with a smile. "She gets a romantic notion in her head and it lives there for a while. Hold on baby, I'll be down in just a few more minutes."

A short time later, Edward came down the stairs and looked in the dining room and parlor for Maggie. When he didn't find her, he went to the registration desk. Looking in the mail slot for their suite, he found the envelope that he was expecting.

Glancing at the front, he was surprised to find his name written in elegant, old-fashioned script that most definitely was not Bella's. Tapping the envelope against his leg, he went to the porch to meet Bella.

He found her wrapped up in a blanket, sitting on a wicker love seat at the curve of the wraparound porch. Two glasses of wine were waiting on the table next to her.

"There's my Colonel-Fitz-Jamie-Batman," Bella greeted him with a grin. "That was quicker than I expected."

"I aim to please. Plus, Mike reported that everything was in control so I didn't have to do any further follow-up," Edward replied, sitting beside her and sliding under the blanket. "You're a hopeless romantic, do you know that?" he said giving her a peck on the lips before leaning back.

"Well that isn't news to either of us, Edward," she laughed, handing him one of the glasses.

"Hmmm," he hummed in agreement. "So, tell me, Baby, should I open this now?" he asked, waving the envelope in front of her.

"I have no idea. What is it?"

"Hmhmm. Sorry, but the jig is up, Bella. I know you sent this and had Maggie ring our room bell. Just like this morning."

Bella narrowed her eyes as she looked at the envelope.

"I'm serious, Edward. That's not from me. That's not even my handwriting – as you well know!"

"For real?" Edward asked, surprised.

"For real. Honestly, Edward, I didn't write you that note." She drank some of her wine as she studied the envelope.

"Well, I guess we have a mystery to go with our haunted house."

Bella snorted. "I don't think it's much of a mystery."

"Why's that?"

"My money's on the ever-so-not-subtle, oh-so-not-demure Tanya," she said, making a sour face.

Edward nearly choked on the wine he was sipping.

"No way! She can't be that dense. Even her friends tried to rein her in this morning. Maybe she's a bit… touched…" he trailed off.

"Touched, ha!" Bella burst out. "I've got a pretty good idea what she wants touched!"

"Well, she'd have to catch me first," he said, nuzzling her neck and making his way up to her ear. "And I'm Colonel-Fitz-Jamie-Batman – impossible to catch." He nipped her ear before leaning back to look at her.

"Listen, I don't want to waste this beautiful night in this beautiful setting with my beautiful wife. So this," he held up the envelope, "will go here," he slid it into his back pocket, "until some later time, yet to be determined. Let's relax."

"Excellent plan."

They sat sipping their wine and stargazing for a bit before Bella spoke again.

"I knew this trip would be relaxing but I think it's the best vacation we've had since our honeymoon. And this spot right here is my very favorite place."

"So, you're not spooked being here?" he teased.

"Nope, not spooked yet," she smiled. "I could act scared though. You know, if you needed a reason to feel all protective and let loose your inner Colonel-Fitz-Jamie-Batman."

"Oh, baby, you don't have to do that. Just say the word - anytime you want I'll let you become _intimately_ familiar with my inner alter egos," he said with a wolfish grin.

"Hmmm, well I think we should take this party inside," she said coyly.

"You carry the blanket, I'll grab the wine," Edward said eagerly, standing up and reaching for the bottle. They walked hand-in-hand up to the room, the envelope forgotten in his pocket.

 **A/N: Things are really going to get moving now ... aaand the next chapter's nearly twice as long as this one! Let me know what you're thinking about these kids and their little adventure. See you soon.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** **The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 5

The next morning, they woke slowly, wrapped in each other's arms.

"Good morning," Bella said through a yawn.

"Good morning, beautiful," Edward replied, repositioning himself so that he could comfortably kiss along her jaw, gradually moving to her ear.

"Hmm," she hummed. "That's really nice, but I have a problem."

"What's that?" he asked without stopping his kisses.

"I've _really_ got to pee!" She laughed as he blew a tickling breath into her ear. "Trust me, you do NOT want to make me laugh right now. I'll be right back," she said, rolling out of the bed and dashing into the bathroom.

"I bet you're grateful not to have to use an outhouse or a chamber pot!" Edward called after her, falling back onto his pillow and throwing his arm over his eyes.

A few minutes later Bella came back into the room, walking by the antique dresser on her way to the bed. Suddenly she stopped and turned back to look at the dresser. Propped up against one of the decorative candlesticks was the envelope that Edward had gotten the night before.

"What are you looking at, baby?" he asked, peeking out from under his arm.

"This," she said, turning to face him, gently waving the envelope in front of her. "Did you think we'd forget it in your pocket? Why did you put up here?"

"I didn't put it there." Edward sat up, leaning against the headboard and Bella sat facing him on the bed, curling her legs beneath her.

"Well, I didn't either. I'm pretty sure it didn't move on its own," she mused.

"Don't be scared, little girl," Edward said in a ghoulish voice. "I'll protect you." He reached forward and tickled her feet.

"Stop that!" she said, laughing and moving a few inches away. "Didn't you get all the 'protecting' out of your system last night?" she teased.

"Never with you, baby," he winked at her and then reached for the envelope. "Here, let's open that and solve our mystery."

"If I see Tanya's name on that, the busty blond is going to have a very rough morning," Bella said, handing him the envelope and scooting around to sit beside him.

"Easy there, bruiser," he said with a grin. Smiling at her, he carefully tore open the flap and pulled out the card. It was the same type of card that Bella had used the day before, with the Erie Mansion logo centered at the top. Inside was a brief message, written in the same elegant script that was on the envelope.

" _I have urgent business to discuss with you. It is a matter of life and death. Please meet me in the music room at 11 in the morning. Please. I must speak with you."_

After a moment's pause, Bella burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she fell over on the bed, burying her head in the covers and slapping her hand down on the blankets in amusement.

Edward chuckled at her antics before reaching out and pulling her back up to sit next to him.

"Okay, I plead clueless male here. What's so funny?"

"She's so desperate! 'Urgent business,' 'matter of life and death,' 'must speak with you,'" Bella pointed to each phrase as she said it. "I know just what type of urgent business she needs to discuss. Solely in body language, I'm sure!"

"So you think this is from Tanya?"

"Edward, it's obvious that it is!" she declared. "There's no one else here who would be sending you a note. And she's proven to be socially inept and desperate. I told you last night that there was no mystery here. I should have made a bet with you on this one, I've had my eyes on a new handbag."

"I am a wise husband. I know to trust your insight on this," he said, tossing the card carelessly to the floor.

"Yes, a very smart man," she leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "And a bit of a smelly man," she added, wrinkling her nose.

"Yeah? Well superheroes sweat, you know," he said with mock offense. "But, I don't want to offend your fair senses, so I'll go shower."

"You are so good at taking hints," she said.

Edward went into the bathroom and took a hot relaxing shower. Turning off the water when he was done, he dried off on the mat before stepping to the sink and opening his shaving kit. Looking up at the mirror, he paused, startled.

The mirror was steamed over and someone had written a message in the steam.

 _Come to the music room at 11._

After a moment, he recovered, shaking his head.

"Bella, you know it's not April Fool's Day, right?" he called out to her.

"What? What do you mean?" she answered from the other room.

"I know you want me to play that piano for you. You just have to ask, baby. No need to go all cloak and dagger on me." He sprayed shaving cream into his palm and used his other hand to start spreading it over his whiskers.

Bella came to stand in the bathroom doorway and looked at him, puzzled.

"You've lost me. What are you talking about?"

He gestured to the message on the mirror. "This is really quite clever. Did you sneak in here and write that while I was showering?"

Bella looked at the mirror and then back at Edward.

"Edward, I'm absolutely serious when I say that I didn't come in here and write on that mirror while you were showering," she said, her expression matching her no-nonsense tone of voice.

"Okay. So you didn't come in here while I was showering, therefore…" his mystery-solving type of voice trailed off for a moment. "Aha! You must have written it when you used the bathroom first thing this morning!" With a satisfied grin, he wiped the mirror clean and started shaving. "So what did you use to write it? Soap? You did a great job, I didn't notice any trace of it on the mirror before I got in the shower."

"Don't get too cocky, Sherlock Holmes, because you've got this one all wrong," Bella said, exasperated. "I said I didn't write that. Besides, why would I write 'come to the music room at 11'? We hadn't even opened Tanya's stupid note when I came in here this morning!"

"Exactly!" Edward said, using his razor to point at her in the mirror. "Lending even more credence to the theory that YOU wrote the note."

"You clearly killed some brain cells during your shower Edward. You came in here a smart husband and you've turned into a foolish one. Listen. To. Your. Wife," she said firmly. "I didn't write on the mirror and I didn't write that ridiculous note!"

Having finished shaving, Edward wiped his face clean with a towel and turned to face Bella.

"Baby, I don't want you to be mad. I'm sorry. If you say you didn't do it, then I believe you," he said sincerely. "I just thought it was a pretty stellar prank."

Bella stood for a moment, thinking. "You know, maybe it is a pretty stellar prank. Or a scary crazy stalker move."

Edward raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"Listen, I believe Tanya wrote the note. Do you think she could have gotten in here when we were out yesterday and written on the mirror? You said someone could use soap to do that before the mirror is steamed up, right?"

"Yes. Soap, shaving cream, stuff like that," Edward replied, nodding absently. "What would she hope to achieve by this?" he asked, puzzled.

"Clearly she's bat-shit crazy, Edward. There's no making sense of crazy so don't even try."

"Maybe we should tell Maggie," he suggested.

"No. If she wants to play in the grown-ups' sandbox, she better learn the rules. And rule number one is that nobody messes with my husband!"

"Baby, you get me so excited when you go all 'Avengers' on me," he said, pulling her into a hug. "What did you have in mind?"

"I say that we both be in the music room at 11. I know you've been wanting to get your hands on that piano and it's been a while since you've played for me. You can pull out some of your most impressive romantic repertoire and play a little concert. If she has the nerve to show up, she'll see a romantic tête-a- tête. If she still insists on hitting on you…well…I may have to go all She-Hulk on her ass."

"You're so sexy when you're mad!" he said, leaning down to give her a kiss.

"Yeah, yeah, sexy, schmexy that's me. But planning ways to beat back the skanks makes me hungry and I don't want to miss breakfast," she shooed him out of the room.

They were both dressed and ready when the bell rang. They went down together and greeted Maggie and Peter as they passed them in the hallway. The Crowleys and the Clearwaters were already in the dining room when they arrived. During breakfast, they all chatted about their activities from the day before with Bella and Edward recommending the restaurant they had found for dinner. Tanya, Kate and Irina didn't come down for breakfast and Sue commented on their absence.

It was Mrs. Crowley who replied, saying "Kate and Irina are lovely, but frankly I can enjoy my meal much better without Tanya being here!"

There were murmurs of agreement around the table and Bella snorted out a laugh. She and Edward finished an enjoyable meal with pleasant company before excusing themselves and going out onto the porch.

"It's another beautiful day. What would you like to do? We've got some time before operation 'skank-down'," Edward said.

"Skank-down?" Bella asked dryly.

"Yeah. I thought of it while we were eating," he said, looking rather smug. "I was thinking we needed a name for our mission, like 'Operation Takedown' and that just sort of morphed into Operation Skank-down. What do you think?"

"You are such a dork," she laughed. "I like it though. She-Hulk versus Skank, an epic showdown."

"That's right, baby, she doesn't stand a chance!"

They left the porch hand-in-hand to take a stroll on the canal path along the edge of the property. They were back to the house before 11 and went directly to the music room.

"Are you sure you want to confront Tanya like this? We could just ask Maggie to talk to her," Edward said.

"I'm absolutely sure, Edward. Hopefully she smartens up and just doesn't show. If she does though, I will make sure she knows that it's not okay for her to hit on someone's husband like that. Especially when she's been told more than once to stop. Bitch needs to back the fuck up," she finished emphatically, crossing her arms across her chest.

"You know you only curse when you're defending me," Edward observed. "It's hot."

"Damn straight," she said with a smile. "Now, what are you going to play for me, handsome?"

"Hmm, well, I thought I'd surprise you. Come and sit next to me." He led her to the bench, making sure she was comfortable before sitting down beside her. Stretching his arms out in front of him, he interlaced his fingers and cracked his knuckles dramatically. She grimaced as a shiver ran down her spine, making him laugh.

"Let's start with some classics," he said and began to play. He started with one of her favorites, _Claire de Lune_ , and moved onto another classical piece before launching into some high-energy ragtime. When he finished the piece they were both smiling and relaxed.

"Well, I guess the Skank-down is a bust," Edward said, looking at his watch. "It's 11:15, looks like Tanya's not showing."

Bella snorted. "You said bust and skank in the same sentence, Edward. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Har-har," he said, nudging her shoulder. "That's fine by me. I'm really enjoying playing this piano, it's an incredible instrument."

"I'm loving hearing you play. So, carry on, Maestro!"

He started playing again, this time a piece that he had composed for Bella and played for her as a wedding gift when they married four years ago. It was a lengthy composition, going on for several minutes, and Bella placed her hand on his back to feel the flex of muscles as he played. When the piece ended, she leaned her head on his shoulder as he sat with his eyes closed, both of them enjoying the moment.

Bella was the first to move, lifting her head and turning to face him. That's when she gasped, her body tensing. Edward, jarred from his momentary meditation, looked at her in concern. Her face had gone ashen and her eyes were huge and glued to a spot over his shoulder.

"Bella, what's wrong?" he asked with alarm.

She swallowed and pointed with her chin, indicating he should look behind him

He spun around on the bench to see what was there, being careful to keep Bella shielded behind him.

There, a few feet away from the piano, stood what appeared to be a very petite young lady. Except, she was there, but not really there. She was more of an apparition really; appearing not in color, but in shades of black and white, and semi-transparent. She was dressed in a long, heavily pleated skirt and a top with a high neck and long sleeves.

"You see her, too, right?" Bella asked tentatively.

"Um, see what?" he responded, eyes glued to the apparition.

"Her. That woman, er, ghost-type person?"

"Oh…her. No. I mean, yes. I guess?"

"Do you think it's Peter's ghost?"

"Um…"

"You know, you might try asking me," the apparition said pleasantly.

"Ho-ly shit," Edward whispered.

The apparition giggled.

"Are you? Peter's ghost, I mean?" Bella asked.

"No," she said firmly. Then she smiled. "I'm not 'Peter's' ghost, though he's very kind and I do enjoy playing tricks on him occasionally."

"Then who are you?" she asked.

"Bella, you realize you're talking to a ghost, right?" Edward asked.

"Well, I'm sure you could talk to her, too, if you'd like Edward."

"You two are fun, I've enjoyed you," the apparition said with another giggle. "My name is Mary Alice Masen Whitlock, but I mostly go by Alice."

"You're a ghost?" Edward asked.

Alice snorted and it was such an incongruous thing coming from one dressed so lady-like that Bella barked out a laugh.

"I would think that would be obvious, but if you need to hear it, yes, I am a ghost. Though I think a better description would be the spirit of someone who has died."

"Right, I suppose that was pretty obvious. So, Alice, do you like to meet all of Maggie and Peter's guests?" he asked.

"No. Actually, you're the first that I've appeared to. I've been waiting for you Edward. I have important information I have to share with you."

"Me? You don't even know me!" Edward insisted.

"But I do. I know a great deal about you," Alice interjected.

"What? Do spirits get to know everything?" Edward asked.

Alice laughed. "No. I'm not omniscient or anything. A bit clairvoyant perhaps. At least that's what my family thought. I also learn a lot just being here in the house. I'm an excellent listener," she finished with a satisfied smirk.

Bella looked at Alice with a rather alarmed expression. "Wait, does that mean that you hear everything that goes on here? Because, you know, Edward and I have been … _enjoying_ our visit and…"

"Don't worry, I'm not a voyeur. I have no interest in intruding in people's lives that way."

"Oh. That's good to know. Thank you," Bella responded with relief.

"Of course."

"So, did you send the note and write the message on our bathroom mirror?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I did."

"But why? Why were you contacting us? What's this life and death business about?"

"Well, I'll tell you but first I have to ask you, can you keep an open mind and hear me out?"

"I'm apparently talking to a ghost, I think my mind is pretty damn open," Edward said with some frustration.

"That's true. I'm sorry you're frustrated. Just listen to my story because, well, it's partly your story too, Edward. First, I'm actually the spirit of an ancestor of yours. I'm your great-great-great aunt and…"

"That's not possible," Edward interrupted. "I've studied the Cullen genealogy back to the 1700's and there are absolutely no Whitlock's there."

"I'm sure you're correct," Alice said. "But I'm talking about you're real family. Edward, I know that you're adopted."

"What!" he exclaimed, standing from the piano bench and taking a step toward Alice. "How do you know that?" he demanded. "No one knows that except for my parents and Bella. Absolutely no one! How do you know?" he asked, his voice rising in anger.

"I told you, because you are a descendent of my family. I've been watching over my family ever since I died. Whenever one of them has passed on, I've been able to communicate with them, find out if others are in danger and if I need to intervene at all. There was no need until recently. But, for you to understand that part of the story, I think you need to know my story first."

"Edward, let's hear her out," Bella said, reaching for his hand. "Come sit back down. We have nothing to lose by listening."

Edward took her hand and slowly sat down again on the piano bench.

"My parents were Eleazar and Carmen Masen. They travelled west to chase the golden dream during the Gold Rush years. The crazy thing is that their dream came true. They hit a large vein of gold on their land claim and became rich beyond their imagination. But, then a suit was filed in federal court challenging their ownership of the land claim. They had no choice but to travel back east to fight the claim in court. My older brother, Emmett, and his wife, Rosalie, stayed in California with their children to continue the gold mine operation and run the homestead. I came east with Mother and Father along with my husband. His name was Jasper," she said with a wistful smile. "He was wonderful."

"It took several months to make the trip overland, but we made it this far with relatively few troubles. We were glad to have such comfortable accommodations and decided to stay here and rest for a bit before continuing on to New York City. There were some other travelers staying here at the same time, a couple, James and Victoria Hunter," she explained, her expression falling.

"It became clear relatively quickly that James was taking an inappropriate interest in me, but he was very careful to act properly when others were around. I told Jasper of his advances. My Jasper was never one to back away from any sort of threat, so he confronted James about his untoward behavior. James became furious. Truthfully, I think my rejection hurt his ego hurt more than anything. Jasper's confrontation just made James that much more determined to pursue me. He couldn't get close to me, though, since Jasper refused to leave me alone in the house.

"Then, a few days after the confrontation between the men, Jasper and I were in the library. We quite enjoyed passing the time in that room and loved sitting in the window seat, you know the one I mean," she asked Bella.

"Yes, I think I do. I was alone in the room only briefly as I felt terribly uncomfortable there, but I did see the window seat," Bella said.

Alice smiled at her sadly. "I'm not surprised you weren't comfortable there. As it happened, the last night Jasper and I were there, the carriage house caught fire and all the men were drafted into service to fight the flames. He bade me to stay in the library while he went to assist, assuming that James would be outside helping as well. He wasn't though. After Jasper left, James came into the library looking for me. I think he had been watching us and knew that I was in there. I suppose you can imagine what happened. He made advances, which I rejected of course, but he was persistent. Things got … rather rough. He wasn't successful in forcing me, but, well, it was close. Fortunately, Jasper realized he wasn't outside and hurried back in to find me. He pulled James off, but as he did so, James shoved me hard. I fell against the fireplace, hitting my head against the corner of the mantelpiece. Then everything went black. I don't know exactly what happened medically, but I never woke up.

"This next part I don't remember myself but, was able to piece together over time. Evidently, Jasper stopped beating James in order to tend to me and James fled the house with Victoria. However, when I died, which was not long after I fell into blackness, Jasper went after James and killed him.

"Victoria knew that James had taken an interest in me and blamed me, saying that I led him on. She blamed me for the situation, blamed Jasper for killing James, and blamed Mother and Father for our being here in the first place. She was insane even then and swore to seek revenge upon our family for destroying hers.

"Jasper went on his own then, so as to avoid any problems with the law. Mother and Father were successful fighting for their land claim and eventually made it back to California. What they didn't know was that Victoria had tracked them down and started watching the family. Emmett and Rosalie had done an amazing job managing the mining business and the family's fortunes grew.

"Victoria eventually remarried and had children of her own. But she poisoned their minds against the Masen family, telling them that we had stolen their land claim and that our fortune belonged to them. She bred contempt in their hearts, which they passed down from generation to generation, along with the single goal of finding the most devastating way to destroy our family.

"This is where you come in, Edward. Your parents – your real parents – were Edward and Elizabeth Masen of Masen Enterprises."

"Wait, my parents own one of the largest technology firms in the United States? I'm sorry Alice, but that's far-fetched even for this crazy ghost conversation," Edward exclaimed.

"Just hear me out, Edward. Much like Victoria's family had a hatred of the Masens bred into them, the Masens were aware that there were threats against them and a growing danger. There have been several close calls over the generations where Victoria has nearly succeeded in destroying the company and the family."

"How could she do that when she was dead?" he asked in disbelief.

"How can you sit here and talk with me given that I am dead?" she asked in reply. "Edward, many things effect how well we can or cannot communicate with the living, but it is possible. I can sense when people die and pass into this realm, and I can also sense when they pass on to the next one. It is very much a choice in some respects. Because we had been connected in life, I felt it very strongly when Victoria died. However, I have never felt her move onto the next realm. I believe she has stayed in this one in order to pursue her quest for revenge.

"Your parents knew that the threat against the family was growing and that the newest heir – their child - would be in the greatest danger of all. That's why they made the most incredibly difficult and brave decision to put you up for adoption. When they did that, they told their friends that the child they had been expecting didn't survive childbirth. Making it appear as though you didn't even exist was the best way they knew to keep safe."

"My adoption was closed. Unless my parents and I all file with a mutual consent agency, there's no way I could ever know anything about them," Edward mused, trying to make sense of what Alice was saying.

"They did that to protect you, Edward. I saw both of them when they crossed over. They loved you so very much and every day was torture, knowing that other parents were raising you, loving you, teaching you how to be a man. But they did it to keep you safe, and it worked. They always hoped that once you were grown, they would be able to find you and help you take your rightful place as heir to Masen Enterprises."

"Wait, both of... both of my parents are dead?"

"Yes. Your father died about two years ago. Forgive me, but time passes differently for us in this realm, so I don't know exactly how long it's been. Your mother passed away more recently, about six months ago, I believe. That's why I had to find you. Your mother told me that Victoria's family has infiltrated Masen Enterprises, but when she learned of it, it was too late for her to do anything about it. Once she died and the Masen family was declared to have no living heirs, the company will pass to the trusted circle of advisors, consisting mostly of Victoria's family. They plan to dismantle the organization, selling off its pieces and keeping the profit for themselves."

"This is crazy. I'm sitting here talking to a ghost and she's telling me that my biological family owns one of the largest companies in the country. It's all just a bit much to take in, Alice," Edward said.

"I know. That's not the worst of it though, Edward," Alice replied.

"What more could there be?" Bella asked quietly.

"Edward, your mother didn't die of natural causes. One of Victoria's descendants, a man named Laurent, murdered your mother. He poisoned her, right under everyone's noses and no one was the wiser."

"What?" Edward exclaimed.

"If you do nothing, not only will Masen Enterprises fall to your family's enemies, but your mother's murderer will never be brought to justice. If you do step forward, and claim your rightful place as Edward and Elizabeth's son, you can right all those wrongs. If you look, you will find evidence to get Laurent prosecuted. You can save Masen Enterprises. Then, whatever you decide to do or not do with the company in the future, you and Bella will be safe. Victoria's family won't be able to hurt you anymore.

"Edward, you must step forward and claim your place as the Masen heir!" Alice finished urgently.

"Alice, you've dumped one hell of lot in my lap here during this little chat. I can honestly say I am _not_ prepared to drop my life and go off on some wild goose chase at," he glanced at his watch, "11:50 this morning, on the word of a ghost!"

"Edward, I realize this is overwhelming, truly I do. Honestly, if it was just about the company, well, what does that really mean in the larger scheme of things? If you are healthy and happy and living a life that is fulfilling to you, that's all your parents would have ever wanted for you," Alice said. "It's more than that, though. Your mother, who sacrificed so much to keep you safe, was murdered. And her killer is never going to be punished for it if you don't pursue what is rightfully yours. But, if you do step forward, you can help correct all these wrongs. You can help put Elizabeth's killer in jail. You can save your family's heritage, Masen Enterprises. You can make it so that my death was not in vain," she finished quietly.

"Whoa, that there is a lot to put on me, Alice. My head is already spinning here."

"Edward," Bella said gently. "What if it was me in Elizabeth's place? Or in Alice's position? What if I was murdered and the person responsible was never brought to justice? Or what if I was killed and that set off a crazy series of actions in the killer's family that ended up hurting our family even more? Would you let them get away with that? Would you let them dance on my grave that way?"

Edward looked at Bella, contemplating her question.

"If someone hurt you Bella, I'd go mad. And if you died," he swallowed hard and paused to get his emotions under control. "If you died, there's no question that I would go after the fucker who did it."

"So would I, Edward," she said. "If you were taken from me, those responsible would pay. And I wouldn't let anyone destroy our family further."

"So, Alice, what do we do? Where do we start to untangle this mess?" he asked.

"Your mother left a will that was written just before she died. It is different than the one that the company has. You need to go see her attorney, a J. Jenks in Seattle, and he will know what to do," Alice explained. "I understand they have medical tests now that can prove that you are the Masen heir, but they can take some time. Mr. Jenks should be able to put a stop to any transfer of ownership at the company. Most importantly, he should be able to start the process of looking into Elizabeth's death. You should meet with him as soon as you can."

"Well, baby," he said to Bella, "I guess we should get ready to leave. We'll need to stop and see my folks in Rochester on our way home. They deserve to know what we're doing."

Placing her hand on his cheek, Bella looked into his eyes. "Of course, Edward. They'll want to know. And they will support you in this just like they've supported you in everything."

"Edward, thank you," Alice said. "I know this is a lot, but you're doing the right thing."

"You're welcome Alice. Or, I guess I should call you Aunt Alice."

Alice laughed in reply. "I like the sound of that!" she said.

 **A/N: So, did you anticipate that the ghost would be Alice? Let me know what you think will happen next. See you soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo.**

 **Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 6

Edward and Bella went up to their room to pack their things.

"Are we really doing this?" Bella asked.

"I guess so," he replied. "Say, while you start packing, I'll go find Maggie or Peter to let them know that our stay is being cut short. Be back in a few."

"Okay," Bella replied, turning her attention to gathering their clothes from the dresser. A few minutes later when she went into the bathroom to collect their things and found an envelope on the sink addressed to her. Thinking it was from Alice, she opened it right away.

 _Bella,_

 _There's more I need to share when Edward isn't with you. Come to the library as quick as you can._

 _Mary Alice_

"We just left her, I wonder what else there is to tell?" Bella pondered. She tossed the card on the bed as she passed by and left the room, going down the hallway to the library.

Bella entered the library cautiously and looked around. Almost everything was just as it was the first time she had visited the room. Books lined the shelves. Comfortable chairs were arranged in front of the fireplace. A table and some chairs were in front of the window where the sun shown in through the partially opened drapes. The only addition was a jack-o-lantern in front of the fireplace.

"Alice?" Bella called out tentatively. She slowly walked into the room and looked around. Something in the mirror over the fireplace caught her eye and she watched it for a moment. As she looked, an image started to gradually appear in the mirror.

"Alice, is that you?" Bella exclaimed with relief. "We're trying to leave as quickly as possible, what's going on?"

A harrowing, sinister laugh rang out clearly through the room as the image in the mirror snapped into focus.

It wasn't Alice. This spirit's appearance was her polar opposite. While Alice was short and petite, this one, though clearly a woman, was tall with a menacing demeanor. Alice's energy projected joy, light, and goodness, but this one was pure hate, terror, and evil. Like Alice, this spirit appeared without color, only in shades of black and white. Her long unkempt curls floated around her head like Medusa's snakes. Along her lower face, the skin was missing as though it had melted off. This left the jaw visible as well as the teeth, though several were missing. There were black holes where her cheeks would have been. Remnants of a nose remained. It was flattened and the nostrils were elongated, giving the appearance of being pulled up the side of the nose. Her left eye bulged from the socket and blood appeared to be flowing freely from a gaping wound above the eye. She raised her arms and reached out toward Bella. Her hands were twisted grotesquely, the nails absurdly long like talons.

Bella jumped back from the mirror in fright. "Who are you? Where's Alice?" she demanded.

The spirit's ghastly laugh burst forth again, morphing its face into an even more dreadful expression of evil glee.

"Alice?" The spirit said with disdain. "She is… indisposed." Her voice had a deep grating quality, like metal nuts and bolts being ground together. Then she took a large inhale of breath, creating an eerie whistle as the air passed through the malformed nostrils and the holes in her cheeks. "I see you got my note."

"The note was from you? Who are you?" Bella took a few steps back from the mirror.

"Me? I'm VICTORIA!" As she screeched her name, the spirit leapt forward out of the mirror and took a three-dimensional form, flying across the space separating them and stopping a hair's-breadth from Bella. Victoria floated above her, bringing her head close and moving it slowly from one side of Bella's face to the other as she examined her. She let out a derisive huff and the rancid smell of decay washed over Bella.

Bella was frozen in fear. She was unable to move or scream; she could barely breathe. The racing tempo of her heart signaled her terror.

"I'm your every nightmare come to life," Victoria continued, circling around Bella. Her monstrous hands were floating around and reaching toward her but never quite touching. Victoria's presence made the temperature in the room drop dramatically and Bella shivered in cold and horror.

"My victory was in sight!" Victoria said angrily. "My destruction of the Masen family was nearly complete. When Edward and Elizabeth failed to have an heir, I was satisfied to wait patiently for their deaths. With no further children to worry about, it was much more entertaining to watch my brilliant descendants prepare to dismantle and takeover Masen Enterprises, whispering in their ears and appearing in their dreams in order to guide them toward my goal.

"But then you and your Edward come here. And that disgusting trollop Alice starts to interfere. I AM DONE WAITING!" she yelled. Victoria retreated several feet in front of Bella, rising even higher above her. "Don't doubt that I will take care of Edward, Bel-la," she said, dragging out her name. "He will not live to see tomorrow."

Tears were streaming down Bella's face. Though she still could barely move, she managed to force out her voice.

"No. Please," she begged. "Don't hurt him. Anything else, but don't hurt Edward. Please," she said as a choked sobbed escaped.

Victoria's laugh was vicious. She flew down again to be nose-to-nose with Bella, moving too fast to be seen. "As if you are in a position to negotiate," she said darkly. "I will bring my plan to fruition and it starts today WITH YOU!"

Again she flew backwards, up and away from Bella. "Edward is next. But for you, I will eliminate any question of heirs!"

She tore through the air again at inhuman speed, aiming directly for Bella's mid-section. Passing through Bella's body, she came out behind her. Turning to face Bella's back, Victoria pressed her hand against Bella's spine at her waist and started twisting. Twisting. Twisting. Twisting.

Bella let out a terrifying scream of pain and fell to the floor, Victoria going with her, never ceasing the twisting. Bella curled into the fetal position and started to shake, but Victoria just continued.

Suddenly, the door to the library flew open, slamming against the wall. Edward rushed in, looking around frantically.

"Bella!" he yelled as he saw her crumpled on the floor with something hideous hovering over her.

Victoria looked up, her horrific face taking on an expression of monstrous glee.

"NO MORE HEIRS!" Victoria shrieked.

Before Edward could process what was happening, Victoria left Bella shaking on the floor and streaked over to him. She grasped his throat with her right hand and flew with him through the air, slamming him into the wall by the fireplace, several feet above the floor. Edward's feet scrambled to find support that wasn't there as his hands struggled vainly to loosen her grip on his throat.

"The Masens destroyed my life!" she whispered into his ear, the whistle of her breathing becoming more pronounced with her increasing fury. "They murdered my James and left me WITH NOTHING!" She ranted, her voice rising to a scream that made Edward flinch even as he fought for breath.

Though still curled in pain on the floor, Bella tried to pull herself across the floor in a graceless crawling-rolling motion but made little progress while Edward's struggling slowed down and she watched his eyes start to bulge.

"Edward, no!" she yelled, finally recovering her voice.

Things happened quickly then. Peter rushed into the room and easily believed what his eyes told him – that a spirit was attacking Edward. He ran to a vase on his desk that was holding an attractive arrangement of twigs, grabbed his lighter out of his pocket and lit the twigs aflame, releasing plumes of smoke. He tore across the room toward Edward and proceeded to wave the smoke over Victoria from head to foot. At the same time, he stretched his leg the few feet to the fireplace, using his toe to tip over the jack-o-lantern sitting there. The pumpkin rolled over, the stem-handled lid falling off.

The smoke weakened Victoria, forcing her to drop Edward to the floor. As he gasped for air, a spirit flew out of the jack-o-lantern and flashed to Victoria. The two struggled, blurring across the room together and back again. Horrible noises accompanied their fight: shrieks, screams, and growls came with the sounds of tearing, shredding, and cracking.

Peter rushed to Bella, still waving his smoking twigs, and pulled her back to Edward before positioning himself in front of them protectively. Edward groped for Bella, weakly pulling her head into his lap while she continued to grip her mid-section and whimper in pain.

Just then, a loud 'whoosh' came from the fireplace and another spirit appeared in the room. It joined in the fight, the three spirits together bashing over furniture and across the floor until they were directly in front of the fireplace. Bella, Edward and Peter watched in amazement as one of the spirits was forced in the jack-o-lantern. The remaining two spirits worked together, one of them keeping a hand over the open lid while the other found the stemmed top and put it back in place on top of the pumpkin.

The fight over, the two spirits took on more recognizable forms.

"Alice," Bella said, her voice much weaker than before.

 **A/N: Short, but action packed. What did you think? Everything gets wrapped up in the next chapter. See you soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to my beta, Owlsarebirdstoo. I tinkered with this after she gave it back to me, so all mistakes are mine.**

 **Disclaimer:** **The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 7

Alice went to where Edward and Bella were on the floor and knelt down in front of them. At the same time, Maggie came running into the room, looking around in disbelief at the destruction she found.

"What on earth happened here?" she asked, looking at Peter. He tossed the twigs into the fireplace and came to stand beside her. "It's okay now, Maggie. I'll explain everything."

"Bella, I'm so sorry. Can you hear me? Are you alright?" Alice asked.

Bella moaned. "I don't know. It hurts."

"She's really hurt. I think we need an ambulance," Edward rasped.

"I'll take care of it," Maggie said, rushing out of the room.

"Baby, help is coming. I love you so much, hold on," Edward cooed to her.

Bella looked up at him. "I love you, too. I thought I was going to lose you."

"No, no, baby, I'm not leaving you," he said, caressing her cheek.

"I thought I was going to have to watch you die right in front of me."

"Not today, baby. Not today."

"Edward, I'm so sorry," Alice pleaded. "I came here to try and warn you, but Victoria trapped me in the spirit vessel." She said, pointing to the carved pumpkin.

"I'll be damned, the thing really works," Peter muttered to himself.

Alice ignored him and continued to hover near Bella and Edward. "Please forgive me. I came here to protect you. I never wanted you harmed!"

"Alice, you did protect us," Bella said. "You saved both of us. You and Peter did."

"Mary Alice," the other spirit said. It was a male and he hadn't stopped looking at her since Victoria had been forced into the vessel.

Alice's eyes closed and her face took on an expression of pure happiness. "Jasper," she whispered, her voice laced with longing and love.

She rose up and turned toward him. His expression matched hers, with the addition of a dose of disbelief.

"Darlin', what are you doing here?" he asked in an appealing southern drawl. "When I passed over and realized I could stay in this plane, I never imagined you would still be here. I never felt you either, how is that?"

"Oh, Jasper. I knew I had to stay. I knew what Victoria was planning and I saw that I needed to be here to make sure she didn't succeed in the end. When I sensed that you had passed over to this realm, I intentionally block you. It was so hard not to think about you or reach out to you in spirit, but I didn't want to draw you to me. I couldn't bear to think of you staying here, always brooding about that awful night."

While she talked, she moved slowly toward Jasper until she was close enough to reach out and grasp his hand. She brought it to her face, rubbing her cheek across his knuckles before stepping back to look at him again.

"But what about you, Jasper? Why did you stay? How is that you are here now?"

He huffed out a laugh and looked at her earnestly.

"My precious, precious Mary Alice. Killing James didn't begin to make up for losing you. And then Victoria threatened to take revenge on our family because I had executed just and right judgment against him. Well, I wasn't going to allow that to happen. I went off on my own after I killed James, but I tracked Victoria, trying to disrupt her plans. I could never get quite close enough though. As soon as I would find her and could determine her intention, she would disappear."

He took a deep breath before continuing his story.

"When I passed over, I didn't think you were here, but I could sense Victoria. The venom of her hatred was clear to someone who had experienced it while living. So, I continued tracking her in this realm. Like before, I would get a sense of where she was, but by the time I got there she would be gone. It's been awhile since I've found any clue of where she was, until earlier today. She came through so strongly that I didn't even have to puzzle out where she was; I knew she was here. So I came."

He paused a moment, seeming to struggle to find the right words.

"Mary Alice, I flew into this room expecting to find Victoria. But then there was you…" he took a moment to collect himself. "I didn't immediately understand. But I recognized…the essence of you. Your warmth and strength. Your love and courage. _That_ I knew before I had crossed the room. Believe me, nothing then was going to stand between me getting back to you. If that means that Victoria has a very bad day," he nodded toward the vessel, "Well, that seems about right to me."

A siren could be heard drawing closer to the house.

"Alice, there's so much we don't understand, but Bella…" Edward said, looking at his wife with concern.

"It's okay. You go and get Bella tended. Make sure the physician looks after you, too. I think we'll come back in a bit and chat with Peter if he's amenable?" Alice asked. Peter nodded his agreement enthusiastically.

"All you need to know right now is that Victoria can't hurt you. Get better, then you both can focus on bringing Laurent to justice, claiming Masen Enterprises and getting rid of any other of Victoria's family members who intend to do you harm."

"Alice, thank you," Edward said with sincerity. "Not only did you…and Jasper," he nodded toward the other spirit, "save us from that vindictive witch, but you gave me the family heritage that I never expected to discover."

As the ambulance arrived, Alice and Jasper disappeared, taking with them the spirit vessel containing Victoria.

Edward accompanied Bella to the hospital, where it was determined that one of her ovaries had been damaged and the doctors decided to remove it through a relatively simple laparoscopic procedure. They assured her and Edward that she would recover fully from her injuries, and that she would still be able to get pregnant. It was a bit of a mystery to the doctors how a blow to her abdomen, which is what they reported as having happened, could create such a crushing injury to an internal organ. However, they didn't press the matter since it was obvious that she had endured a rather harrowing altercation.

While Bella was in surgery, Edward finally consented to having his throat examined and, with the exception of some superficial bruising, was given a clean bill of health.

Peter and Maggie were interviewed by the authorities who wanted to know how their guests had been injured. They told about an intruder who had broken into the house and attacked both Bella and Edward, though they couldn't speak to the intruder's motives. It turns out that neither they nor Edward or Bella were able to give any reasonable description of the crazed woman who took them by surprise. They all validated one another's statements, insisting that the intruder had disappeared while Peter and Maggie were looking after Bella and Edward. After all, it was the truth and Peter didn't think the local police department would take kindly to a story of a ghost ambush, particularly this close to Halloween.

After the excitement at the Mansion had settled down, Peter did visit with Alice and Jasper who were most interested in how he came to have a spirit vessel. He explained to them how he learned of them and demonstrated the vessel ceremony during the ghost tours. They assured him that they would dispose of the vessel in the next realm and there would be no way that Victoria could return to harm anyone again.

After spending two nights in the hospital, Bella and Edward returned to see Maggie and Peter before heading home and then on to California where they would look for the evidence of Elizabeth's murder and begin addressing the business of Masen Enterprises. Edward had already been in touch with J. Jenks. Jenks was working quickly to obtain an injunction from the local court to have all transfers of the company's ownership halted in light of Elizabeth Masen's most recent will.

"Edward! Bella! We are so glad you're here!" Maggie exclaimed, as she met them in the entryway. She gave Edward a quick kiss on the cheek and then gently hugged Bella.

"Bella, dear, you are looking so much better! How are you feeling? Are you truly going to be all right?"

Bella chuckled as she returned Maggie's hug. "I'm going to be fine. Honestly," she said. "And I'm feeling okay. Though, I'm a bit tired right now. The ride from the hospital took more out of me than I expected."

"Oh, but of course you are! Come along, let's go sit in the music room. Peter's setting up some lovely refreshments for us."

Maggie led them to the music room where Peter was putting out sandwiches, snacks and lemonade.

"Hello, my fine young friends! I'm so glad you were able to visit before heading home," Peter said, clapping a hand on Edward's shoulder.

"Hello, Peter. We wouldn't dream of leaving without stopping back to see you," Edward said as he shook Peter's hand heartily.

"Bella, we are so very glad that you are all right," Peter said, leaning down to place a fatherly kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, Peter," Bella replied with a smile.

"Let's get you off your feet," Edward said, settling her in a chair by the fireplace before taking the seat beside her.

"Here, I'll pour everyone some lemonade and then we can chat. I think some other friends may be joining us," Maggie said cryptically.

While Maggie poured drinks, they each filled their plates before relaxing in their seats.

"So who else is joining us, Maggie?" Bella asked.

"We are," said a tinkling voice from the far end of the room.

Bella gasped and a delighted smile spread across Edward's face as they looked up and saw Alice there with Jasper.

"We thought you would have moved on by now, given that things with Victoria are resolved," Edward said.

"Yes, we knew you spent some time with Peter after we went to the hospital, but he mentioned nothing about you remaining here," Bella said, shooting Peter a brief glare.

"My apologies, Bella, but they didn't know what might happen and I didn't want to get your hopes up needlessly," Peter said.

"That's right, Miss Bella," Jasper interjected. "Mary Alice and I have been so focused on specific objectives ever since we passed to this realm, we frankly didn't know what might happen once we no longer had those reasons to stay here."

"We didn't know if we would be able to remain until you returned," added Alice. "But I'm so very glad that we could," she said, smiling broadly at Bella and Edward.

"We are, too. We have so much to thank you for," Edward said.

"And much of what happened is fuzzy in my memory. I'd like to hear about it from everyone else's perspective," Bella said. "We presume Victoria left the note for me to go to the library. Edward told me that he saw it in our room and was heading for the library to see what it was about—"

"But when I got into the hallway I heard Bella scream and ran the rest of the way. You all know what I found when I got there," Edward said. "How did Victoria know to come after us?"

"Well, we believe that Victoria had been aware for a while that Mary Alice was here," Jasper began. "But, she couldn't harm her – spirit vessels notwithstanding," he said, with a nod to Peter. "Being tied as they were when they were alive, she was likely able to tell that Mary Alice wasn't very active. I imagine she found it much more entertaining to watch and influence her descendants at Masen Enterprises."

"But then, when you and Bella came here, I was expending much more energy and she probably came to see what that was about. Unfortunately, she found out about you, Edward, and I'm more sorry than ever that you both were hurt," Alice said.

"Alice, we've told you, you have no reason to be sorry," Edward said. "Victoria is the one who did us harm, not you, and even that will have no lasting effect. You, Alice, gave me my biological family and the deep heritage that goes with it. Not to mention Masen Enterprises. We don't want to hear you apologize again, agreed?"

"Agreed," Alice said with a smile.

"There's more to the story, though," Jasper continued. "To be fair Mary Alice, you started expending more energy long before Edward and Bella came to Erie Mansion. You should tell him."

Alice looked a little sheepishly at Jasper and then at Edward.

"He's right, Edward. I told you that I learned about you from your parents when they crossed over. When your mother died, and I knew that time was short to disrupt Victoria's plans, I tried to influence your decision to come here to Erie Mansion."

"Really?" Edward asked, surprised. "How did you do that?"

"It's easiest for me to appear and do things here, since this is where I was last alive," Alice explained. "But, I am able to go to other places. I found your apartment in the city and encouraged both you and Bella to take a vacation. Here. At Erie Mansion. There was also another couple who was supposed to be here, and I…helped…them decide to change their plans."

"That's why the suite here suddenly became available," Bella remarked.

"What do you mean 'encouraged'? How did you do that?" Edward asked.

"It's relatively simple for me to talk to you in your dreams. I knew from observing that you were talking about taking a vacation. Your interests in ghosts made it easier for me to plant the idea of going where you could experience a ghost tour. Leading you here was quite easy after that. I hope you're not angry with me."

Edward sat shaking his head with a bewildered expression on his face. "No, I'm not angry, Alice. I'm just a little flabbergasted to learn how involved spirits can be in our daily lives. I guess I don't live in the world that I thought I did."

"Well, that really is something," Maggie said, clearly trying to adjust her thinking as well.

"Ok, so that explains the non-coincidence of us vacationing in the place where Edward's ancestor died," Bella said, "But Peter, how did you get Victoria to let go of Edward? She had him in a death grip and he was moments away from losing consciousness; that much I remember."

"Ah, well I knew that the little lady," Peter threw a wink at Alice, "Was making herself known to you from that very first day we chatted here in the music room, do you recall?" he asked. Both Edward and Bella nodded in affirmation and he continued. "I just presumed that you would be having other interactions with her and hoped I would be hearing about them eventually. At any rate, that Victoria was making quite a ruckus going after you two in the library and it was the noise that drew me there.

"When I got there and saw that…that…evil creature holding Edward by the throat several feet above ground, well, I didn't need anything else to convince me it was some sort of spirit. The twigs I grabbed from my desk are some that I gathered for the spirit vessel ceremony. Old Native American legend says that smoke from this particular mix of trees and bushes will weaken a spirit so it can be more easily controlled. I had no idea if it would work or not, but it was the only thing I could think of to try."

"What about the spirit vessel? Where did that come from? Who was inside it?" Bella asked.

"Well, that jack-o-lantern was one that I used when I was practicing the spirit vessel ceremony in the library the day before. I wanted to make sure I had everything ready to go when the ghost tours start. Anyway, I thought that if the smoke worked, I just might be able to wrangle that thing into the vessel," Peter explained.

"Victoria had trapped me in the vessel," Alice said. "You and Edward had only been gone from the music room for a short time when she appeared to me. I can't overstate my surprise at seeing her suddenly before me after all this time. She lured me upstairs to the library with threats of harming you both. Before I knew what was happening, she had opened the vessel and trapped me inside it. Then I had to watch everything she was doing, first to you, Bella, and then to you, Edward. I was helpless to do anything until Peter tipped the vessel and the lid fell off. By then I was more than eager to fight her."

"And that's when I arrived," Jasper added. "Not a moment too soon, either. Victoria put up quite a fight, but she was no real threat against Mary Alice and me together."

"Can you tell me how the vessel works?" Peter asked. "I've always wondered how a spirit could be trapped in the first place."

"I've seen some in my travels since I passed over," Jasper said. "It's a combination of pointing the vessel at the exactly correct angle toward the spirit you wish to trap, and your intention. Your emotional energy around the need to trap the spirit must be strong enough to force it into the vessel."

"Hmmm, you don't say?" Peter replied.

"Victoria's appearance was so hideous!" Bella exclaimed. "Why was that?" she asked Alice. "You and Jasper don't look that way."

"We appear here as we were the last moment of our lives," Alice explained. "Although I believe that when we move on to the next realm, we will appear as our very best selves. Right now, I actually have quite a gash on the back of my head, but it's not where you can see."

"I died from pneumonia while serving in the Army," Jasper volunteered. "It took me pretty quickly and left my appearance relatively intact. Clearly Victoria suffered a rather traumatic end. I would guess that, beyond the wound to her forehead, she likely ended up in some sort of fire."

Bella shivered at the thought. "Well, that would explain why she looked so gruesome," she said.

"So, what's next for you and Jasper?" Edward asked Alice.

"Jasper and I decided that, if we were indeed able to stay here until you visited, well, then we would move on to the next realm after seeing you. We are ready to see our loved ones again," She said.

"And hopefully find a greater measure of peace than we had here," Jasper added.

"Oh Alice, I hope that you and Jasper do find peace and that you can rest after spending all these decades looking out for the Masens," Bella said.

"Alice, you and Jasper will always have our gratitude. I'll make sure that our family genealogy accurately reflects your courage and loyalty," Edward added.

"We appreciate that, Edward," Jasper said as he tipped his hat to him.

"Well, little lady," Peter said to Alice, "I'll surely miss the tricks you played on me. This old place will be a bit duller without you here."

"You old charmer," Alice replied. "You're a good man, Peter, and I appreciate that you tolerated my tomfoolery with such good nature," she said with a smile.

"Miss Maggie," Alice said, "Even though you didn't believe until very recently, you let Peter believe and that's a sign of a good woman. You two take care of each other."

"We most certainly will, Alice," Maggie answered.

"Edward, Bella, everything's going to turn out wonderfully, I just know that it will," Alice said to them. "You're going to make sure Laurent pays for murdering Elizabeth and Masen Enterprises won't fall victim to Victoria's family. It's all going to be just as it should be."

"And your death will not have been in vain, Alice," Edward said. "Your life had meaning. Your death had meaning. Even from the other side of death, you kept making a difference in our family. You are a force with which to be reckoned!"

"That she is, Edward. That she is," Jasper agreed.

"Oh Edward, Bella! You be safe in your travels and live long and happy lives. When the time comes, don't linger in this realm, but move on to the next. We'll be waiting to greet you and to hear all about your amazing lives," Alice said.

"Goodbye," Jasper said.

"Farewell," Alice said.

A chorus of goodbyes echoed from Edward, Bella, Maggie, and Peter as Alice and Jasper faded away.

 **A/N: Well, that's the end of this little tale, my first multi-chapter fic! I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading.**


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